Application Process

1. How to Apply for a Position on a Board or Commission.

The Governor's Office encourages all Texans to participate in Texas government and seeks the most qualified candidates for appointed positions. Please follow the instructions on the Appointments Application page. After completing the application, send it, along with a resume and photograph, to the Governor's Appointments Office. The photograph does not need to be studio quality; it is for office use only. For judicial appointments, a completed Judicial Questionnaire is required as well. When we receive your application, you will be sent an acknowledgment.

Your name will be entered into the appointments system. Any additional information received from you or from others relative to your appointment will be kept in your file. If we need additional information, we will contact you. Applicants may be asked to come to Austin for a personal interview with the Director of Appointments or an Appointments Manager.

A current Appointment Application is required for consideration of any candidate seeking appointment by Governor Abbott. The certification portion of the application must be signed before any candidate can be considered for an appointment.

Please note: Any information within the file is subject to the Public Information Act. This means that anyone requesting copies of the information in your file or requesting to view your file will be provided access to the information. A resume is required, and is not a substitute for the information requested on the form.

2. Letters of Recommendation

A letter of recommendation is not required; however, if there are people who would like to express their support for you, you may ask them to send letters of endorsement to the Governor's Appointments Office. Please request no more than three to five letters.

3. The Process after Submission of Application

When it is time for the Governor to make an appointment in which you have expressed interest, the Appointments Office reviews statutory requirements that pertain to the appointment and gathers information on professional or personal experience necessary or preferable for the position. We also look at the composition of the current board. The background and qualifications of all applicants are then reviewed. For a majority of appointments, a potential nominee must be approved by his or her Senator prior to formal appointment by the Governor. Recommendations are made to the Governor, who makes the final decision.

4. Openings on Boards and Commissions

The List of Appointments details the entities to which the Governor makes appointments. Most boards and commissions have six-year staggered terms, with one third of the members' terms expiring every two years. The majority of gubernatorial appointments expire in odd-numbered years, with many of these occurring in the first three months. The Texas Constitution generally provides that appointees with expired terms continue to serve until they are reappointed or replaced. However, under a recent constitutional amendment, non-salaried appointees for positions requiring Senate confirmation with expired terms may serve no later than the last date of the first regular legislative session that begins after the expiration of the term. Vacancies can also occur at any time due to a resignation or death of an appointee.

5. Senate Confirmation

The appointments process for the majority of boards and commissions, by virtue of the procedure prescribed in the Constitution of the State of Texas, requires that the nomination of a person by the Governor be confirmed by the Texas Senate. The Senate considers the confirmation of an appointment when they are in session, which is every odd-numbered year, or when the Governor calls a special session.

6. Disclosure of Personal Finances after Appointment to a Board or Commission

Many boards require the disclosure of personal financial information. Many require a nominee to file a Personal Financial Statement (PFS) with the Ethics Commission prior to Senate confirmation.

7. Qualified Appointees

Most of the appointments require the appointee to be a qualified voter. A "qualified voter" is defined as a person who:

1. Is 18 years of age or older
2. Is a United States citizen
3. Has not been adjudged mentally incompetent by a court
4. Has not been convicted of a felony (fulfillment of sentence and pardon exceptions available)
5. Is a resident of Texas
6. Is a registered voter

8. Appointments of State Employees to Boards and Commissions

In most cases, state law provides that a state employee may not be appointed to a board or commission. However, there are some boards or commissions which require that a state employee be designated.

9. The Number of Boards or Commissions to Which One May Apply

You may apply to as many boards as you wish. You should be specific as possible regarding your interests in the "State Board(s), Commission(s), or Task Forces of Interest to You" section. Your file will remain active during the Abbott Administration, but should be updated if you move, change employer, etc.